


How Long Have You Been In Love With Him?

by ReleasingmyInsanity



Category: I Dream of Jeannie
Genre: Bisexual Male Character, Feelings Confession, First Kiss, Fluffy Ending, Getting Together, Multi, Polyamory, mentions of period-typical homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:48:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26338240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity
Summary: Jeannie convinces Roger to tell her about his feelings for Tony. Roger believes that he should just ignore his feelings for both of them. But what does Tony think?
Relationships: Roger Healey/Anthony "Tony" Nelson, Roger Healey/Jeannie/Anthony "Tony" Nelson
Kudos: 3





	How Long Have You Been In Love With Him?

“How long have you been in love with my master, Major Healey?” Jeannie asked Roger one day while they were having one of their picnics in Tony’s living room.

Roger dropped the éclair he was holding before he ever took a bite. Jeannie caught it before it hit the ground.

“I...What?” Roger asked, certain that he had misheard the question. Jeannie didn’t know, she couldn’t know.

“I said, ‘how long have you been in love with my master?’” Jeannie repeated, handing Roger back his éclair.

“Me? In love with Tony? That’s ridiculous.” Roger scrambled for the words. What was it he had decided that he would say to anyone on the base if they ever asked? “I like girls.”

“I know you do, Major Healey,” Jeannie said. “But you also like my master.”

“Jeannie…” Roger started.

She cut him off. “Oh! You are worried that I will tell someone. Do not worry. I am good at keeping secrets.”

“Listen, I don’t know where you got that idea but I am not in love with Tony. He’s my best friend, my comrade-in-arms, there’s nothing more to it.”

Jeannie gave him a hard stare. “Major Healey, do not lie to me. Remember that I can make you tell the truth in a blink,” she threatened.

Roger sighed. Not only did she know, but she wouldn’t let him ignore it either. “All right, I’ll tell you. But you can’t tell anyone else. Not even Tony. Especially not Tony.”

Jeannie nodded, “Of course. I promise on the Obelisk of Daabun The Superior, that I will not. That is how genies promise something important,” she added at Roger’s confused expression.

“Okay, look. It’s no big deal. I mean, I like girls. So what if I like guys too?”

“That is what I have always thought,” Jeannie said. “We should all be able to like whomever we choose.”

“Yeah, so I like Tony.” Roger crossed his arms defensively. “That’s all. I’m not gonna make a big deal about it.”

Jeannie continued to look at him. “You still have not answered my question, Major Healey. How long have you been in love with him?”

Roger took a strong interest in a croissant. “I dunno, Jeannie,” he said, picking apart the layers. “I met Tony in the astronaut training program. I guess that’s where it started.”

Jeannie smiled and gave Roger an encouraging nod.

“I thought he was the handsomest man I had ever seen. I still do. And he’s brilliant. The astronaut program is full of smart people, but Tony… He blew them all away. I guess what really drew me to him though was his kindness. And his gentleness.”

Jeannie nodded enthusiastically. “Oh that is exactly the way _I_ fell in love with him. He is so wonderful.”

“Yeah he is.” Roger admitted quietly.

“But why do you not tell him?”

“It’s complicated, Jeannie. Men aren’t supposed to have feelings for other men. Just for girls.”

Jeannie nodded sympathetically. “Oh yes, I know that is the case here. But my master does not care about things like that.”

“I know he doesn’t, and I’m glad. But other people care. And psychiatrists care, and the military cares, and the space program.”

“I know you cannot tell Dr. Bellows any more than you can tell him that I am a genie,” Jeannie agreed. “But why do you not tell my master how you feel?” she asked again.

“Oh Jeannie. Just because Tony’s okay with men liking each other doesn’t mean he wants to know that his best friend has feelings for him. And even if he were okay with that, I have no way of knowing he’d like me back.”

“Oh but…”

“And besides,” Roger tried to smile at Jeannie. “He has you now.”

“But Major Healey, he wants you to be happy.” Jeannie took his hands. “We both do.”

“I am happy.” Roger insisted. “I’m an astronaut. I’ve got plenty of girlfriends. I get to be friends with you and Tony. What more could I want?”

“But…”

“Jeannie, it doesn’t matter how I feel. You love Tony, Tony loves you. I can’t have a relationship with either one of you so there’s no point in talking about it.”

Jeannie leaned over and gave Roger a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth. “It will work out, Major Healey. I am sure of it.”

It was at that moment that Tony walked inside from the patio.

“Hello Master!” Jeannie bubbled happily as she hopped up to kiss him hello. “When did you get home?”

“Hello Jeannie,” Tony said, returning her kiss. Roger tried not to feel jealous. “About 20 minutes ago.”

Getting to his feet, Roger felt cold, as though he had been sent to Antarctica without a coat again. If Tony had been home for twenty minutes, that meant he had heard everything. “H...Hi Tony.”

“Roger.” Tony said, voice steady, not betraying any specific emotion. “Did you mean what you told Jeannie?”

Roger did what he always did when confronted with an uncomfortable situation. He talked too much.

“I’ll keep my feelings to myself. I mean, Jeannie figured it out, and I guess you know now. But I won’t say anything about it ever again. And I would never ever try to come between you and Jeannie. You know I would never do that.

“I’m perfectly happy to just be friends. But if you don’t want that anymore I’ll understand. And I’ll tell Dr. Bellows to partner you with somebody else for the space program. I’ll quit the program if that would help and…”

More words spilled out of Roger’s mouth. He wasn’t even entirely sure what he was saying anymore. Hoping that somehow, he would be able to say something, anything, to convince Tony that it was fine. To forget everything he had heard and for everything to go back to normal.

His speech was cut off mid-sentence as a gentle hand touched the side of his face. Tony’s thumb caressed his cheek, and the rest of the fingers carded gently through his hair.

Roger looked into the much-loved face of his best friend. All the anger and disappointment and betrayal he had expected was nowhere to be found. What he saw instead was understanding, caring, and…affection?

“Roger.” Tony’s voice was quiet, tender. “I am going to kiss you now, okay?”

Roger blinked, uncomprehending. The question was so far removed from everything he had expected that it took a moment for him to process it.

The hand caressing his face stilled, and Tony’s understanding expression took on a hint of nervousness. Realizing that Tony was waiting to be given permission Roger nodded. Tony placed his free hand on Roger’s waist, leaned forward slightly, and kissed him.

Tony’s lips were soft. Not as soft as Jeannie’s had been, but then, she had just given him a friendly peck. The way Tony was kissing him was tentative, but sturdy. A real kiss. Roger kissed back, a little timidly, scarcely daring to believe that this was real. He was mildly aware of Jeannie clapping her hands joyously somewhere behind him, but everything else was Tony.

Roger wasn’t sure how much time passed. When Tony pulled away it felt like they had been kissing for hours, but at the same time, it felt like seconds.

It took a few moments before Roger felt capable of speech. “What about Jeannie?” He asked finally.

“What about Jeannie?” Tony asked in response. Sounding completely confused as to what Roger meant.

“Yes, what about Jeannie?” Jeannie echoed, moving to stand next to Tony.

“I… You two are together.”

“Yes,” Tony agreed. “And I believe I heard you say something about ‘either one of us.’”

“That’s the whole point!” Roger said. “I can’t have either one of you. You have each other.”

“You’re right,” Tony said. “You can’t have ‘either one of us’. He grinned. “You can have _both_ of us.”

Next to Tony, Jeannie was beaming. “I told you things would work out.”

Roger stared at his best friends. Stunned by what he was being offered. “You…You mean all I had to do was ask?”

Tony laughed, “She’s a genie. ‘Ask and ye shall receive.’”

“Wait a minute. I didn’t accidentally wish something did I? Because…”

Tony and Jeannie were shaking their heads. “No wish, Roge,” Tony said. “No magic involved at all. This is all us.”

“In that case. I think I need a better kiss.”

Jeannie giggled happily as Roger pulled her close and finally, finally kissed her. Tony moved closer, settling an arm around each of their shoulders as they pulled away.

“Now,” Tony said with a twinkle in his eye. “Tell me again how I’m the handsomest man you’ve ever met.”

“Oh no. I’m not letting you get a big ego over this.” Roger teased back. “Besides, we both know I’m the handsomest one in this relationship.”

“Are you kidding? _I’m_ clearly the more handsome.” Tony shot back, obviously struggling to keep a straight face.

“I think you are both very handsome.” Jeannie interrupted, giggling. “And more importantly, I think that you should both kiss me again.”

Roger and Tony glanced at each other. “Jeannie has the right idea,” Roger said.

Tony nodded. “Besides, we have the rest of our lives to figure out who’s more handsome.”

“The rest of our lives,” Roger repeated. “I’m gonna hold you to that promise.”

“You’d better,” Tony said. “I plan on keeping both of you for as long as you’ll have me.”

Jeannie and Roger shared a look of agreement. “Then you’d better plan on having us forever.”

Tony pulled them both into a warm embrace. “Forever,” he agreed. “Forever.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was unusual for me. I basically never mention homophobia in my fics, period-typical or otherwise. But somehow it just felt necessary here. Roger explains homophobia to Jeannie could be an alternate title at some points, haha.
> 
> Jeannie’s “I know you do” when Roger says he likes girls is probably my favorite thing I’ve written for this fandom. I laugh every time I read it.
> 
> I was always planning for Tony to overhear and to kiss Roger. But that scene was inspired almost completely by this screenshot. https://babymyleopard.tumblr.com/post/627081899205148672
> 
> I thought it was fun to make the ending a little more like you’d see in the show.
> 
> Although Jeannie and Roger both express concerns about how Dr. Bellows would react, my preferred headcanon is that Dr. Bellows was one of the many psychiatrists and psychologists who advocated for the removal of homosexuality as a mental illness. I think he would be supportive.
> 
> I really wanted a fic from Roger's perspective and this seemed like a good way to do it.


End file.
